1981 Winston Western 500 (January)

1981 Winston Western 500

Race details[1]
Race 1 of 30 in the 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Riverside International Raceway (1969–1988 version)
Date	January 11, 1981 (1981-January-11)
Official name	Winston Western 500
Location	Riverside International Raceway, Riverside, California
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.700 mi (4.345 km)
Distance	119 laps, 311.8 mi (501.7 km)
Weather	Temperatures of 75 °F (24 °C); wind speeds up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h)
Average speed	95.263 miles per hour (153.311 km/h)
Attendance	35,000[2]
Pole position
Driver	Darrell Waltrip	Junior Johnson & Associates
Most laps led
Driver	Bobby Allison	Ranier Racing
Laps	37
Winner
No. 28	Bobby Allison	Ranier Racing
Television in the United States
Network	untelevised
Announcers	none

The 1981 Winston Western 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on January 11, 1981, at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.

This race would be the final race where 115-inch wheelbase cars were eligible to run; the field was a mix of older cars and 1981 105-inch wheelbase models. Dale Earnhardt drove a 1981 Pontiac while race winner Bobby Allison drove a 1977 Monte Carlo.